A letter from IREM President Libby Ekre, CPM®

Libby Ekre, CPM^®

Spring is upon us, and with it comes lots of tending to get our properties ready for warmer weather when the first flowers emerge and outdoor amenities start getting more use. It’s also a good time to evaluate existing amenities to make sure you’re giving your customers exactly what they want.

Can unused office space be converted to meeting pods or open co-working spaces? Can a housing development’s tennis court be repainted to a pickleball court? With those tasks in mind, the theme of this issue is amenities, those features that make a particular property attractive to existing and potential tenants or residents.

Health and wellness amenities are more desirable than ever. In our first feature, we look at specific ways property managers can incorporate wellness into their properties. We also highlight three programs, including the IREM Certified Sustainable Property (CSP) program, that set standards to guide developers and property managers in creating and maintaining healthy buildings.

Great communication with tenants and residents goes right along with the property’s amenities in maintaining effective engagement. In our second feature, we note how renters highly recommend landlords with excellent communication skills. The combination of good communication and a readiness to embrace the right technological solutions for tenant and resident engagement shape positive landlord-tenant relationships. A property manager’s tech strategy aligns technology that best suits your organization’s objectives while catering to the specific demographics in your properties’ target markets.

Revenue in the U.S. e-commerce market is forecast to grow 68% by 2028. Final mile warehouses, the subject of this month’s Property Spotlight, play a crucial role in helping suppliers deliver goods to consumers as quickly and efficiently as possible. Brad Ashley, CPM^®, RPA, says, “Even old brick-and-mortar companies are embracing e-commerce more to remain relevant and competitive. So, final mile will continue to be in vogue for many years to come.”

São Paulo is one of the largest cities in Brazil, and in Global Practices, we look at a regional amenity that allows the city to sustain continual growth: the development of high-density residential areas that support a vibrant condominium market. Condominiums reflect the city’s modern lifestyle and enhance São Paulo’s communal culture and overall sense of security. We also take a closer look at the city’s unique subscription housing model that requires residents to pay a monthly subscription fee to stay in fully furnished condominium units with shared amenities.

Looking to boost your career? Read about IREM’s new DEI Ambassadors program, designed to help property management leaders foster a welcoming environment that continues to embrace the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their workplaces and in the real estate sector. The article includes the full schedule of DEI Ambassador meetings for 2024.

In Government Affairs, Gwen Volk, CPM^®, looks at how HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) has intensified its focus and enforcement initiatives around the use of criminal background, credit history, and source of income to screen applicants. Volk notes, “While none of these are federally protected categories, all are potential fair housing minefields if applying them is found to have resulted in disparate income discrimination.”

In the IREM Foundation column, we highlight the work of IREM chapters in Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis that inspired their members and industry partners in 2023 to step up to support the Foundation—and had a lot of fun in the process.

Finally, we celebrate the life of 1988 IREM President Doug Collins, CPM^®, who died in September 2023 at the age of 84. A lifelong resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Collins was respected throughout the real estate community. But perhaps his most lasting impact on the industry during his tenure as president was his enhancement of the IREM Code of Professional Ethics. In property management, ethics will never be an amenity, but always a core value.